When it comes to writing, we all have our routines and special ways of doing things. Writing short stories is no different. I go about writing a novel a certain way and when it comes to writing short stories, I have a slightly different approach.
The Idea
Ideas are all around us, but when it comes to writing short stories I tend to go along with certain writing prompts – some I get from the Internet and others I come up with on my own. When I write a novel, I typically outline it before I begin writing the first draft. When I write short stories, I just come up with the idea and roll with it. I like to see where the words and characters take me.
The First Draft
When it comes to writing a novel, I can’t write the first draft or any draft in one sitting. With short stories, I write the first draft in one sitting. There are times when I need to stop in the middle of the draft, but I prefer to sit down and bang out all the words at once. My short stories are typically under 10,000 words and I can usually write about 2,000 words in one hour. If I can get all my ideas out at once, that’s what I aim for.
Editing
Once I finish the first draft, I let it rest for a day or two. Then I jump into the editing. Depending on the length of the short story, the editing doesn’t typically take me too long. I usually edit a draft or two before I decide it’s ready to either go on the blog, send to me Patrons on Patreon, or possibly submit someplace.
All Done
That’s pretty much to it. It’s more or less the same as when I write a novel or novella, but the process is shorter. I find it easier to work with short stories because I’m able to write them in one sitting and I can let my mind focus on it for a while.
What’s your short story writing process look like? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. If you liked this post, please share it around.
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